For the most part, fans visiting Walt Disney World may have a hard time agreeing on any one thing. But for those who have visited Magic Kingdom in the past two weeks, we can guarantee they’ll reach a general consensus about one thing: Pirates of the Caribbean has been more on and off than usual.
READ MORE: Classic Magic Kingdom Ride Goes Down, Leaving Guests Disappointed
How Long Has the Ride Been Down Recently? We Have the Exact Data
To be fair, the attraction is decades old at this point, so a litany of technical difficulties wouldn’t be too surprising, and neither is a temporary closure here and there.
But Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction has been closed for a grand total of 930 minutes in the past few days alone, according to Thrill Data. That’s over 15 hours in total.
Compare that to this time around last month (a whopping zero minutes), and you’ll see what we mean: something is going on with the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
READ MORE: The Future of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean Without Johnny Depp
So, Why Has Pirates of the Caribbean Been Closed These Past Few Days?
Usually, we don’t know the reason behind temporary closures, but this time, we just might…
We recently reported on some outlandish rumors that have been flying around, claiming that Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride is home to hundreds of bats.
At this time, Walt Disney World Resort has made no comments or responses to these rumors, so the validity of the claim is questionable…but is it really?
READ MORE: Classic Magic Kingdom Attraction Reportedly Suffering From Major Pest Infestation
Panthers, and Manatees, and Bats, Oh My!
In the state of Florida, bats are protected all year round, so no harm can come to them. That means that an infestation of this size could create some big complications when it comes to removal.
The removal of a colony this massive would likely mean a ‘refurbishment,’ and soon, giving Guests whiplash due to how unexpected the closure would be.
READ MORE: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie Set Totally Abandoned
How Would a Removal Even Work?
At this time, we don’t know if there will be a refurbishment or not, nor do we know if the attraction is actually infested with bats or not. Stay tuned to Disney Dining as the situation unfolds.
In the meantime, Captain Jack Sparrow can still be found on this classic attraction. At the very least, that hasn’t changed!
